Cabinet-directory.



a. WQMAXWELL.

. CABINET DIRECTORY.

(Application filed Apr. 1, 1898. Renewed Aug. 1, 1900.)

Patented Apr. 8, I902.

4 Sheets-Sheet I.

No. 697,377. Patented Apr. 8, [902.

a. w. MAXWELL. CABINET DIRECTORY.

. (App1ics.tion fil ed Apr. 1, 1898. Renewed Aug. 1, 1900.! (No Model.)7 4 S hae ts-Sheet 2.

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No. 697,377. Patente d Apr. 8, 1902.

G. W. MAXWELL.

CABINET. DIRECTORY. (Appiicu tion filed Apl 1, 1898. Renewed Aug. 1,1900.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

2 U N 8 r p A d e n e t a P .Y LR LU T B .D M m WM 8 A 6 (Applicationfiled Apr. 1, 1898, .Re newed Aug. 1, 1900. (No Model.)

4 Sheds-Sheet 4.

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE WV. MAXXVELL, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

CABINET-DIRECTORY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 697,377, dated April8, 1902.

Application filed April 1, 1898. I Renewed August 1 1900. Serial No.25,591- (No model.)

TOYLZZ whom, it 71mg concern.- 7

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. MAXWELL,- a citizen of the United States,residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements inCabinet-Directories, of which the following is a specification.

My directory employs in a practical manner one or more sets of rollerswith long paper strips rolled thereon and containing the printed namesand addresses.

The objects of this invention are superior cheapness, convenience,durability, and easy reference; also, to provide a practical directorywhich can be readily corrected and revised at frequent intervals; also,to provide a practical city or country directory of more convenient formand more durable than any book-directory in that the paper is protectedand not handled; also, to provide a practical directory which is betterthan the book-directory in that the names and addresses can be referredto in much less time The names in mydirectory for a city of, say, onehundred thousand population, and which directory would ordinarilycontain forty thousand names, if printed in nonpareil type, doublecolumnfwould make a ribbon about one hundred and forty feet long. Ifdivided into only two sets-A to L and M to Z instead of four, as hereinshown, the ribbon for either set would be seventy feet long. Themechanism in my directory is so constructed and geared that by eightturns of a crank, and which can be done in three seconds, every name inthe directory from A to Z by operating both sets at once would beexposed to the eye of the operator. Much greater speed in rolling thepaper ribbon or directorystrip may be obtained, if desired, byincreasing the diameter of the rollers and also by using gear in properproportion to further increase the speed. It is practicable to do thisowing to the lightness in weight of the paper and the roller, andgreatly-increased speed can be obtained by a little additional effort onthe part of the person turning the crank. Greater'speed in rolling thepaper might be desired onlyin case a longer ribbon were used.

My directory is designed to be more'economical to publish in that thethinnest and cheapest quality of paper (even tissue-paper) can be used,whereas the same quality of paper (tissue or similar paper) would beunfit and impracticable for use in a book-directory. No binding or coveris required with this directory excepting the permanent casewhich con--tains the mechanism. It is practicable to revise and correct thedirectory several times a year, even monthly, owing to the fact that thelines of type can be kept standing in the forms, and the new lines oftype containing changes of names and addresses and the new or additionalnames may be inserted at any time. As no binding is required and thevery cheapest and thinnest quality of paper can be used, several issuesof my directory can be printed from these forms for a less cost thanonly one issue containing the same matter if printed and bound in thecustomary book form. Itis obvious that tissue or a light quality ofpaper if used in the ordinary bound book-directory would soon becomeruflied, tangled, worn out, torn, and unreadable from the handlingjtwould be subject to, while in my directory the paper is protected bymetal and glass and is never touched by the one using it. Thus it willbe seen that my directory can be kept up to date, and the superiority ofa number of revised and corrected issues during a year containingremovals, changes, and new information as compared with one issue of acustomary yearly bookdirectory is plainly seen.

In this directoryI have made provision for the use of a plurality ofsets of rollers and directory-strips, one for each set, and have madeprovision for the automatic operation of the particular set which ispresented to view when the user turns the crank, and I provide aplurality of the sides of. the case with sightopenings, through whichthe directory-strips are exhibited.

For the purpose of illustration Ihave shown in the accompanying drawingsa directory containedin a case about seven inches square incross-section, and there are sight-openings on the front and back sidesof this case; but it is to be understood that I am not limited toticular number of sides, but may use one or more sides, as may provemost convenient,

- mechanisms are mounted in the case for exhibition through theirrespective sight-openin gs in the several sides. A crank-shaft extendsthrough the casejournals and is journaled in the supports which carrythe case-journals. Mechanism is provided for connecting the shaft withthe directory mechanisms to drive them when the sight-opening for suchdirectory-strip is in the position for reading and disengaging suchshaft from the directory mechanisms that are not exposed, and means,such as a catch, are provided for temporarily connecting the case andthe support to hold the case from turning. Preferably the catch holdsthe case in a fixed position, with the side of the case which is to beexhibited held in a slanting position, so as to be conveniently seen. Apair of rollers is provided for each sight-opening, and each pair has adirectory strip or ribbon for exhibition through such opening. here aplurality of the sides of the case are provided with directory-strips, Iprovide means for automatically connecting the crank or driving shaftwith the mechanism for driving the rollers to be operated, and at thesame time disconnecting said shaft from the mechanism for driving therollers which are not to be operated. In order to accomplish this, theshaft is eccentrically journaled in the case journals and extendingtherethrough are journaled in the case-journal supports. A driving-wheelis provided on the shaft, and sets of roller-driving gearing, one setfor each pair of rollers, are arranged symmetrically around the axis ofthe casejournals to respectively mesh with the driving-wheel when in agiven position and to be withdrawn from the driving-Wheel whenout ofsuch given position-that is to say, when the case is rotated upon itsaxis to bring the strip of one set of directory mechanism to view thegearing for driving that set of mechanism will be drawn into mesh withthe driving-wheel and the gearing for the other set or sets ofmechanism, if more than one set is employed, will be thrown out of gearwith the shaft-gear. I also provide automatic means for positivelydriving that roller of any set toward which roller the crank isoperated, and I also provide a shifting brake to apply friction toprevent the roller which is not being positively driven from racing whenthe other roller is operated, and the mechanism which I employ releasesthe operated roller at the same time that it brakes the other roller.

My invention includes the various features herein described andillustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In my pending application, Serial No.

737,688, filed November 20, 1899, for improvement in mechanicaldirectories and the like and in my application for patent on indexedmechanical directory, (renewal,) filed August 1, 1900, Serial No.25,592, and my application for mechanical city-directory with automaticsupplement and index,filed February 13, 1899, Serial No. 705,446, I haveshown the combination with the rollers and the flexible strip fastenedto said rollers to be wound and unwound from roller to roller; wheelsfor said rollers, respectively; wheels for driving the roller-wheels,respectively; a lever carrying said driving-wheels and pivoted tosimultaneously hold one of the driving-wheels in operative engagementwith its roller-wheel and the other driving-wheel out of engagement withits roller-wheel,and vice versa; a masterwheel journaled to revolve andoperatively engaging with said driving-wheels and being frictionallyconnected with the lever to throw the lever in the direction of therotation of the master-wheel, and means for rotating themaster-wheel,and said combination is claimed in said application, SerialNo. 737,088, filed November 20, 1899, and for this reason is not claimedin this application.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of my newly-inventedcabinet-directory in position for use. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevationon line 2 2, Figs. 3 and at, looking to the left. Fig. 3 shows the caseand mechanism as they would appear to the user if the door anddirectory-strips were removed. Fig. tis a section on line 4 4, Figs. 2and 3, as it would appear to one standing in front of the machine andbending over and looking down and toward the front of the directory in adirection opposite to that in which he will look when using thedirectory. Fig. 5 is a fragmental detail to show the shifting mechanismfor shifting the pinion from the one to the otheraxleoftheaxially-arranged rollers. Fig.0isa fragmental plan detail toillustrate the brake appliance. Fig. '7 is a detail elevation to further illustrate the brake appliance. Fig. 8 is a section of the brakeappliance on line 8 8, Fig. 7. A portion of the roller is shown, but notin section. Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation of the mechanism forshifting the pinion from one to the other of the axially-arrangedrollershafts, taken on line 9 9, Fig. 10. Fig. 10 is an end view of oneset of the directory-strip rollers, showing the pivoted lever carryingthe pinions for transmitting power through the master-wheel from theoperating-shaft to the strip-rolls and the pinion-shifting means.

A indicates the case of a directory which contains four sets 1 2 3 4 ofdirectory mechanisms. These are arranged two sets 1 2 at the front andtwo sets 3 t at the back of the case. All is incased in a metal box A,the sides of which are seven inches square. A

door at, having glazed sight-openings a. in it, through which the namesand addresses may be seen, is provided in front, and a like door I isprovided in the back. The front andback of the case are duplicates, withthe exception.

that they are marked to indicate that their: directory-stripsrespectively refer to differ-- ent portions of the alphabet. The namesat the front may run from A to L, while those at the back may runfrom fM to Z,: or any other desired arrangement may be employed. Thedirectory-case when being op-. erated will stand with one side at anangle, preferably,of about forty-fivedegrees to make it easy to read theexposed portions of the directory-strips B B, &c. 7 0 indicates a catchin one of the standards or supports D, which catches in a hole 0 in thecase to hold the case at thedesired angle. When the operator desires toturn .the case to view the list at the other side, he will draw thecatch and will then turn the case on its axis to bring the other set ofrollers to the front. 0 indicates a spring to return the catch into itsoperative position to hold the case when it has, reached the desiredangle to expose the strips on the other side.

The case is provided with two journals a a which are journaled in thesupports D D, respectively, and the common axis of these journals passescentrally between the several journaled in the'supports D D, eccentricthe boxes (1 d of the case-journals a of. The axis of the shaft E andthe axis of the case-journals a a and their boxes 61 d are eccentricabout one-eighth of an inch, the axis of the shaft being aboutone-eighth of an inch higher and about one-eighth of an inch farther to-7 ward the front than the axis of the case-journ'als and their boxes, sothat when the caseis rotatedon its journals that side which is towardthe front will be brought nearer the shaft and the driving-wheel thereonwill be thrown into engagement with the masterwheel of the'directorymechanism on that f and provided atjts opposite endswith pin-'- ions gg, which respectively mesh with the master-wheel F and are apart fromeach other somewhat less than one hundred and eighty degrees. One faceof the master wheel forms africtional disk'fflwhich is engaged by afriction-springg, fixed to the lever Gr and pressing against thefrictional disk f of the {master-wheel F, so that the rotation of themaster-wheel]? in either direction will cause the lever to swing in thatdirection, thus swinging the transmitting-pinions g g one into and theother out of mesh with their respective roller-pinions H H,- which arerespectively mounted upon the shafts it, &c., of the rollers I I, 860. II

By referring to Fig. 2 it will" be seen that when the set 2 of thedirectory mechanisms gear with the driving-wheel 9, while themaster-wheel F will be out of gear with said driving-wheel, and that iftheshaft is turned to the left, the friction of such wheel upon thefriction-spring g will operate to throw the pinion-carrying lever G tobring the transmitting-pinion g into engagement with the roller-pinion Hto drive the roller 1 to retate the same to wind the ribbon thereon, and'at the same time the transmitting-pinion g islthrown out of gear awayfrom the rollerpini'on- H of'the roller 1, thus leaving'the had beendone a reverse movement of the crank would withdraw thetransmitting-pinion g from the roller-pinion H and return the the ribbonthereon and leavingthe roller 1 free to allow the ribbon to unwindtherefrom. In order. to prevent racing of the released roller, Iprovidea shifting brake.

in cross-section. I

J indicates a tubular slide on the rod and carrying a' brake-shoe J,which engagesthe end or flange-of either one of therollers to The rod isarranged to cause the shoe J" to contact with the ends of the rollers,near the periphery thereof, so that when the one roller rotates to windthe ribbon upon such roller the friction of such roller upon the shoewill cause the shoe to slide along the rod J toward 7 the other rollerand will throw it into contact with the end of the other" roller,whichis'being rotated by the unwinding ribbon in the sothat the shoe isby friction automatically shifted from the winding-roller totheunwinding-roller to release the one and to prevent the racing of theother. I

K K indicate springs to press upon the tube J to hold the shoe firmlyagainst the rollers. The tube plays looselyupon the rod, so that thespringscan always forcethe shoe braked.

vided with two directory strips, 'each carried by an independent pair ofrollers, and'the rollers of each pair may'be arranged to be connectedand disconnected to operate simultaneously or separately at pleasure.The

' is at the front the master-Wheel F will beinto the right, thus turningthe master-wheel F;

transmitting-pinion g to mesh with the roller pinion H, thus to rotatethe roller 1 to-wind J indicates a rod, which is preferably square isame direction in which the shoe is moving,

into operative contact with the roller "to be rollerI free to rotate,and that when this."

which it is'appliedby shifting along the rod.

' If desired, each sight-openingca n be proroller-shafts t' i" are setcoaxial with each other to form a unitary arbor for a shifting cog-wheelH, and the roller-shafts 11 i are coaxial with each other to form aunitary arbor for a shifting cog-wheel H, and each shaft is providedwith a projection, as the pin 1 2, &c. The coaxial shafts end close toeach other without touching, but together form the arbor for the rollercog-wheels H and H, respectively, which are arranged to slide alongtheir said respective arbors and are each provided with projections, aspins h h, to respectively engage the pins 1 2, 850., when the rollercog-wheels are fully shifted on their arbors for that purpose, to driveone or the other pair of rollers. When the cog-wheels are midway betweenthe arbor-pins, the pins are not engaged.

L indicates a shifter carried by a shaft L, which is journaled at l tothe case and is operated by a pointer-lever Z, which extends to thefront of the case to be moved to or from the indicated limit-letters Ato F G to L. The indicated letters on the other side of the case for thepointer-lever on that side, which is not shown in the drawings, will beM to Q and R to Z. These limit-letters respectively show the limits ofthe several ribbons or directory-strips.

It is to be understood that the alphabetical divisions of the lists maybe varied as desired or as occasion demands.

In practical operation the user will first turn the case to expose thestrip he desires to inspect and will then set the pointer to thelimit-letters which indicate the strip containing the name he wishes tofind. He will then turn the crank in either direction until he brings toView that part of the strip where the desired name should appear.

Now having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A directory or like information-exhibiting device comprising arevoluble case provided upon its different sides with sight-openings;mechanism for moving informationstrip back and forth behind suchsight-openings; means whereby one set of strip-operating mechanism isbrought into operative connection with the central operating-shaft whenthe case is revolved to bring any one of the sight-openings into apredetermined position.

2. A directory or like information-giving device comprising therevoluble case provided upon several of its sides with sight-openingsfor displaying information printed upon strips; means for moving thestrips back and forth behind the sightopenings; the case mounted torevolve eccentrically whereby the central shaft engages with one of anddisengages from the other strip-operating mechanisms.

3. A directory or like information-exhibiting device comprising a caseprovided upon its different sides with sight-openin gs; means forpassing such information back and forth behind such sight-openings; theoperatingshaft; thev driving-wheel mounted on such shaft; themaster-wheels for operating the information-giving device; the eccentricbearings mounted in the revoluble case whereby an eccentric travel isimparted to the case to carry one set of strip-operatin g master-wheelsout of engagement with the driving-wheel, and another set intoengagement therewith.

4. In a strip-directory, two sets of strip-operating rollers mountedcoaxially; means for operating such rollers to wind the strip from oneroller to the other roller in one of the sets of the strip-operatingrollers; the pinion loosely mounted upon the ends of the coaxialroller-shafts; and means for shifting such pinion from one shaft to theother whereby one set of rollers is thrown into motion and the other setis left inoperative.

5. In a strip-directory, the two sets of stripoperating rolls mountedcoaxial; a masterwheel; a pivoted lever carrying a pinion on each end; afriction device attached to the pivoted lever and bearing on themasterwheel; the pinion loosely mounted upon the coaxial roller-shaftsand adapted to engage with the pinion on the pivoted lever when thelever is thrown in its direction; means for shifting the pinion from oneroller-shaft to the other; and means for engaging the pinion with suchshafts.

6. The combination of two rollers; a strip wound upon said rollers;means for alternately driving the one roller in one direction and at thesame time releasing the other roller and for driving the other roller inthe other direction and at the same time releasing the first roller; arod extending parallel with the end faces of the rollers; a brake-shoearranged to slide along the rod and to engage the end of one or theother of said rollers when shifted from one to the other of said rollersand adapted to he slid along said rod by the friction of one of saidrollers to contact with and produce the friction upon the other of saidrollers.

7. The combination of two pairs of rollers with directory-strips, onefor each pair of rollers, the shafts of two of the rollers being setcoaxial with each other to form a unitary arbor and the shafts of theother two rollers being set coaxial with each other to form a unitaryarbor, and each roller-shaft being provided with a projection; tworoller-driving cog-wheels, one mounted upon each of said arbors and eachprovided with lateral projections to engage the projections of therollershafts respectively when the roller-driving cog-wheel is shiftedto one or the other of said roller-shaft projections; and means forshifting the roller-driving cog-wheels.

8. The combination of two directory-ribbon rollers; a cog-wheel fastenedto one of said rollers; a cog-wheel fastened to the other roller; adriving-shaft; a master-wheel and frictional disk fixed on thedriving-shaft; a

leverjournaled coaxialwith the master-Wheel and provided at each endwith a transmittingpinion, said pinions meshing with and driven by saidmaster-Wheel to independently mesh with the cog-Wheels of the respectiverollers when the lever is vibrated in one or the other direction; and africtional device fixed to the I lever and engaging the frictional diskon the master-wheel to cause the rotation of the master-wheel to shiftthe lever to mesh a, trans 1o mitting-pinion With one or the other ofthe roller cog-Wheels.

. GEQNV. MAXWELL. \Vitnesses:

ELLA W. MAXWELL, vW. H. CORNELL.

